Program Notes

Program Notes

by April L. Racana

Fri. February 23 The 902nd Suntory Subscription Concert
Sun. February 25 The 903rd Orchard Subscription Concert
Mon. February 26 The 115th Tokyo Opera City Subscription Concert

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Symphonic Poem “Finlandia”, op.26
Composed during a period of political turmoil, Finlandia came to symbolize the Finnish
nation’s desire for freedom from nearly a century of rule by their Russian neighbors. In
February of 1899, the “February Manifesto” of Tsar Nicholas II, gave the Russian
government complete control over Finland, which included drafting Finnish nationals
into the Russian military as well as extreme censorship of the press. It was this latter pointthat stirred a group of activists in Helsinki to organize an event called the 1899 Press
Celebrations, in support of journalists who had been censored. Sibelius was asked to write
the incidental music to accompany a series of patriotic historical scenes. The finale for thisseries featured the first version of this work, at the time entitled Finland Awakes.

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The following year Sibelius revised this first work into the orchestral version that isknown today. It was premiered on July 2, 1900 with his fellow compatriot and colleague,Robert Kajanus conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Society. Opening with the ominous
brass rumblings, the woodwinds and strings soon counter with the now infamous serene
hymn-like intonations. Eventually this hymn becomes a strong expression of determination
as the work closes with great fanfare. (It would be nearly two decades before Finland
gained its independence from Russia.) The composer later revised this section of thepiece into its own separate work, Finlandia Hymn, and in 1941 words were added byVeikko Antero Koskenniemi. Some refer to this choral version as Finland’s second
national anthem.

Work composed: 1899-1900 World premiere: 4th November, 1899 at Swedish Theater in Helsinki(Original version) / 2nd July, 1900 in Helsinki (Symphonic Poem version)
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones,tuba, timpani, percussion (bass drum, triangle, cymbals), strings

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Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Travelling to Denmark in the summer of 1868 with his wife and daughter, thisNorwegian composer greatly needed a retreat from an exhausting season of teaching andconducting in Oslo. Ten years earlier, Grieg had first heard Schumann’s piano concerto (alsoin A minor) performed by Clara Schumann, in Leipzig, which had made an “unforgettableimpression” on him. The German Romanticism prevalent at the time seems to have playeda part in both works, and Schumann’s influence can be heard on Grieg’s concerto of thesame key, as well. However, Grieg’s use of nationalistic references gives this work acompletely different flavour, with key elements of the folk music of Norway incorporated
throughout. The well known opening motif, often referred to as the “Grieg-motif”, whichuses a descending minor second followed by a major third, can be heard in many of
the composers melodies, and originated in many Norwegian folk melodies.

Sibelius began writing incidental music in the late 1890’s as the symbolist movement from
Paris made its way to Helsinki. The subject of these initial works had an historical basis, ashe composed the incidental music for Adolf Paul’s play King Christian II (1898), andfestival music in 1893, Karelia Suite, at which Finlandia made its first appearance. As the newcentury unfolded however, Sibelius found himself composing incidental music for someof the key symbolist dramatic works that portrayed more exotic themes of love,death, mysticism and dreams. One of these works was Pelléas et Mélisande, which had beenpremiered in Paris in 1893 and had sparked musical works by Debussy, Fauré andSchöenberg. The Scandanavian premiere was given at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki,in 1905, with incidental music by Sibelius.

Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16

Grieg’s wife and daughter stayed in Copenhagen with her parents while he himself retreatedto the countryside to compose. By the end of the summer the majority of the piano solo portionof the concerto had been completed, as well as sketches for the orchestration. Grieg dedicatedthe work to the Norwegian pianist, Edmund Neupert, who premiered the work on April 3rd,1869 in Copenhagen where audiences were considered more receptive than in Oslo at the time.
Neupert wrote to the composer of the resounding successful reception of the work there:“On Saturday your divine concerto resounded in the great hall…. The triumph I
received was tremendous. Even as early as the cadenza in the first movement thepublic broke into a real storm.”
Liszt gave Grieg great encouragement as well, when in 1870, after sight-reading the scorefrom the manuscript copy, remarked to the composer: “Go on, I tell you. You have the stuff!”
Liszt’s influence can also be heard in the concerto (perhaps especially in the cadenza of the firstmovement) as well as that of Chopin’s, presumably one of Grieg’s favorite composers. And in1923, Rachmaninov, who had played the concerto, observed: “I believe in what might be called
indigenous music for the piano, which the Germans would describe as klaviermässig.” He went
on to say: “Grieg had the gift of writing beautifully for the piano and in pure klaviermässig style.”
The success of this concerto has continued and established it as one of the key worksof the repertory for any pianist. From the opening bars of the familiar Schumanesque-likedramatic downward spiraling wave, together with Norwegian folk influences, through to thefinal grand harmonious sweeping chords, Grieg certainly made his mark, earning his title as“the Chopin of the North.”
Work composed: 1868 World premiere: 3rd April, 1869 at Casino Copenhagen
Instrumentation: 2 flutes(2nd doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings, solo piano

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Program Notes

Pelléas et Mélisande, op. 46

The play of Pelléas et Mélisande was written in 1882 by the Belgian playwright Maurice
Maeterlinck. The story opens in the vicinity of King Arkel’s castle where Mélisande is foundin a nearby forest by the grandson of the king, Golaud. They marry, however Mélisande’s lifein the castle is not a happy one and she eventually becomes friends with Golaud’s younger
brother Pelléas. Pelléas, realizing he can no longer bear his life in the castle with his true
love married to his brother, announces to Mélisande that he must leave. At this meeting, shedeclares her love for him and upon embracing, Golaud, who had been watching them, appears
and kills his brother in a fit of jealousy. Mélisande runs away, but is found and returned tothe castle where she dies shortly thereafter, presumably over the heartbreak of losing her love.

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Sibelius wrote a total of ten pieces for the incidental music for this play, including seveninterludes (one being the overture) and a song. He later arranged this music into a concert
suite with only nine movements, containing all but one of the original pieces, giving eachmovement a name rather than the original numbers. The first movement (the overture), “Atthe Castle Gate” sets the scene outside of King Arkel’s castle. “Mélisande” depicts theheroine crying by a stream in a nearby forest when the king’s grandson Golaud discovers herthere. Here the English horn's melody reflects the sadness of Mélisande and the muted
strings perhaps that of the flowing stream.
“At the Seashore” portrays Pelléas and Mélisande in their first intimate meeting, the low
rumbling in the basses depicting the deep undercurrents of the sea, while the woodwinds’cries above suggest the coastal birds in this dramatic scene. “By A Spring In the Park” has
the couple meeting again, here in a lighter more cheerful waltz setting, yet still one senses
the ominous mood underlying the scene. “The Three Blind Sisters”, originally sung by
Mélisande to express her dwindling hope, is transcribed for woodwinds in the orchestralsuite. “The Pastorale” was composed at the point where Pelléas and Golaud emerge fromthe depths of the castle to the open air surrounding it. Sibelius’ characteristic thirds can21Feb 23［Fri］ Feb 25［Sun］ Feb 26［Mon］
be heard in the woodwinds here over a pizzicato figure in the cellos. The violins’ melody
soaring above as the flutes complete the peaceful scene, birds fluttering in the midst of it all.

hymn-like introduction in the strings. This theme and another labelled “Ruth” for one ofhis daughters, are key motifs that help unify the work as one continuous movement.

“Mélisande at the Spinning Wheel” returns to the ominous overtones played by theincessant viola trill suggesting the persistant spinning of the wheel (and perhaps fate).
“Entra’cte” is said to express the growing love of Pelléas and Mélisande, as well as thedifficulties they face in their circumstances. However Sibelius’ biographer, Robert Layton,suggests it may simply have been the composer at his best displaying his ‘sheer joy inmusic-making.’ In the final tragic scene of the play, “Mélisande’s Death”, we find theheroine resigned to sadness and death at losing her true love. Sibelius again depicts thedepth of emotions with his adept orchestrations. Harriet Bosse, wife of the Swedishplaywright August Strindberg, who once played the role of Mélisande commented on theeffects of the music from this last scene: “…lying on my deathbed in the last act, the orchestra
played ‘The Death of Mélisande’. I was so moved that I cried at every performance.”

Sibelius himself referred to “an inner connection between all the motifs” in his Seventh
Symphony, which displays his life’s work towards ‘formal and motivic compression’ tothe highest degree possible. In addition, the challenge of composing a symphony with ahome tone of C major (which many composers considered pointless), ultimately became
something for which the composer was praised. British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams
commented that ‘only Sibelius could make C major sound completely fresh.’ And anotherscholar, Peter Franklin called the final dramatic closing measures, (with the long drawn out
tension between the D above – reminiscent of the ‘Aino’ theme – and B below), as ‘thegrandest celebration of C major there ever was.’Work composed: 1905 World premiere: 17th March, 1905 at Swedish Theater in Helsinki (Incidentalmusic version) / 12th March, 1906 at University of Helsinki (Suite vertion)
Instrumentation: flute (doubling on piccolo), oboe (doubling on English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons,
2 horns, timpani, percussion (bass drum, triangle), strings

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Symphony No.7 in C major, op. 105
Jean Sibelius was considered by many to be the national hero of Finland in the late
19th and early 20th century. His music was composed primarily in a Romantic style, butwith his dedication to the national music of his homeland, one can hear many representationsof his Finnish culture and heritage. Primarily composing orchestral works, Sibelius wrote
seven symphonies as well as several incidental musical works and tone poems. His final
symphony was premiered as Fantasia sinfonica No. 1 in March of 1924 with the composer
conducting, initially unsure whether it was to be categorized as a symphony. However,during the following year when the manuscript was going to publication, Sibelius
ultimately determined that this work would indeed be part of his symphonic catalogue
titling it “Symphony No. 7 (in einem Sätze; ‘in one movement’)”.
In 1918 the composer referred to his Seventh Symphony in a letter, describing it asfollows: “Joy of life and vitalité with appassionata passages. In three movements – thelast a ‘Hellenic Rondo’.” Eventually the three movements would be compressed into one
singular movement, similar to what had been explored previously in his Third and Fifthsymphonies where two movements were combined into one. This one movement form in
his final symphony would prove to be ground-breaking, providing variety through a numberof changes in tempi throughout. However a trombone theme appears at key points, labelled“Aino” in homage of his wife. The first appearance of this theme comes following a22Program Notes

Work composed: 2nd March, 1924 World premiere: 24th March, 1924 in Stockholm
Instrumentation: 2 flutes (1st & 2nd doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns,
3 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings
April L. Racana / Music Specialist at Nishimachi International School where she has taught since 1992. She
completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (BS/Piano Pedagogy) andher graduate studies at San Francisco State University (MA/Music), as well as a post-graduate fellowship atNorthwestern University, and the Japan Studies Program at International Christian University.

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Next Subscription Concerts in March

March 7, Wed 19:00 at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall
The 116th Tokyo Opera City Subscription Concert

March 9, Fri 19:00 at Suntory Hall
The 904th Suntory Subscription Concert

March 11, Sun 15:00 at Bunkamura Orchard Hall
The 905th Orchard Hall Subscription Concert
Conductor: Andrea Battistoni(the Chief Conductor of the TPO)
Piano: Makoto Ozone*
Drums: Clarence Penn*
Electric Bass: Robert Kubiszyn*

Gulda: Concerto for Myself *Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2

Andrea BattistoniⒸTakafumi Ueno

Makoto OzoneⒸYow Kobayashi

Single Ticket Prices SS ￥15,000 S ￥10,000 A ￥8,500 B ￥7,000 C ￥5,500
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